Fire-extinguishing compound.



CHARLES HOWARD, OF BROOKLYN, XEW YORK.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHING COMPOUND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1s, 1908.

Application filed April 10. 1905- Serinl No. 254.810. Renewed June 25.190'-7. Serial No. 380.751-

T all whom it to ag concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HOWARD, a

citizen of the [nited States, and a resident of the city of Brooklyn, inthe county of Kings and the State of New York, have made certain new anduseful Improvements in F ire- Extinguishing Compounds, of which thefollowing is a specification.

)Iyinvention relates to that class of fire exg compounds that aresoluble in an extinguishing fluid such as water.

It has been a common practice in the use of fire extinguishing means toemploy in con nection therewith water charged with an unlnflammable gassuch as carbon vdioXid. The common method of charging the water withcarbon dioxid said water a suitable carbonate as carbonate same with asuitable acid acid, whereby carbon dioxid is liberated and thus chargesthe water. As distinguished from this old and well known method ofproviding a fire extinguishing fluid my invention comprehends theemployment of a compound composed of such ingredients, that when thesaid compound is dissolved in water and the solution applied to a fireuninflammable gases will be evolved owing to the disassociation of theingredients by means of the heat of combustion.

One of the substances which I use and whichby means of heat isdisassociated into an umnflammable gen is absorbed from gas or gases,belongs to that class of chemical compounds known as the alkalinecarbonates. As types ofthis class may be mentioned sodium carbonate (Naco and also ammonium carbonate (NHfl CO These I have found to-beparticularly useful in connection with my compound owing to theirsolubility in water as well as the ease with which they aredisassociated by heat, whereby carbon dioxid or carbon dioxid andammonia gas are evolved as the casemay be.

Another feature of my invention consists in the employment ofhyposulfite of soda (N 21 8 -0 in connection with my fire extinguis gcompound. Hyposulfite of soda as is well known breaks of heat. When thisoccurs more or less oxythe surrounding atmosphere which in itself tendsto prevent C0111- bustion at the point where the hyposulfite of soda isdisassociated. Aside from this there is also formed a relatively largevolume of consists in dissolving in the decomposing the such as sulfuricup under the influence of soda and one part for the prevention ofoxidation 2'. e. combustion.

I 'do not attempt to give the complicated chemical reactions indicativeof the disassociation of hyposulfite of soda as I am unaware of a set ofreactions that would specifically and clearly represent all of thevarious and complex changes that take place when this salt is broken upby means of heat. It is sufficient for the purposes of thisspecification as before set forth 'to state that when hyposulfite ofsoda is disassociated by heat, oxygen from the surrounding atmosphere isab-' sorbed and among the compounds formed is sulfur dioxid.

My invention therefore consists of a fire extinguishing compound,composed of'a mixtureof hyposulfite of soda and an alkaline carbonatesuch as sodium carbonate or ammonium carbonate. two or more alkalinecarbonates in connection with the hyposulfite of soda but generally I'prefer to use simply the ammonium carbonate owing to the fact that underthe influence of heat this latter salt breaks up into carbon dioxid,ammonia gas and water according to the following reaction which Ibelieve to be correct Ammonia gas expands enormously under the influenceof heat and for this reason is a 'most valuable agent in preventingcombustion. F or this that carbonate of ammonia furnishes a mostvaluable addition to my compound.

The compound I and it is designed to be kept in this state when not inuse. For this reason it Will be. clear that hyposulfite of soda inconnection with a suitable alkaline carbonate or' carbonates furnishes acompound admirably suited for the purpose in hand.

- I preferably compress the ingredients of the compound into a siiitabletablet 'or stick form whereby the various types of apparatus with whichit can be used may be supplied with the minimum amount of trouble andlabor and whereby the said compound may be readily transported.

' In preparing the compound I grind or mix together three parts byweight of hyposulfite by weight of an alka line carbonate as ammoniumcarbonate or sodium carbonate. After the mixing opera:

I may however use.

prepare in the dry'state' reason it will readily be seen v tion iscompleted I compress the.mass into tablets or sticks of suita powderform.

It will be seen that my invention com-v prises a fire compound that suchascarbon diozrid or carbon dioxid and ammonia gas.

In using the comdpggu'nd a suitable amount of the mixture is olved inwater in the proportion generally of one pound of the compound to fivegallons of water. These proportions are not in any way fixed as anyamount of the com ound may be used that will be most suitab e for theparticular pur-'- ose. When used in the tablet or stick form the saidtablet or stick may be supported within a suitablereceptacle'communicating le dimensions or I -may use the compound in thegranulated or with a water supply whereby the outgoing water may carryin suspension or solution a suitable amount ofthe extinguishingcompound.

Having described my invention what I desire to. claim and to securebyLetters Patent of the United States is as follows 1. A fireextinguishing compound consisting of hyposulfite of soda and an alkalinecarbonate.

2. A fire extinguishing compound consisting of hyposulfite of's'o'da andammon m carbonate,

3. 'A fire extinguishing compound consisting of three parts by weight ofhyposulfite of soda and one part by weight of ammonium carbonate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as.

my own, I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' CHARLES HOWARD. Witnesses:

L. T. SULLIVAN, GEO. W. HOWARD.

